by Tamsin Baker
The sword slid out of its sheath and princess pulled Nakeeri down the brightly lit corridor. Her pulse hammered and fissions of adrenaline skittered along her veins.
Tattiena’s smooth voice flowed around her. “I’ve heard you are a great warrior. I would love to train with you today, but I have been told I need a few days to recover before I can go back to a normal schedule.”
Tattiena opened another of those freaky sliding doors and pulled Nakeeri inside. Tattiena sighed as she sat down on the large comfortable-looking bed and placed her sleeping infant in a nearby baby bed.
“Please sit, Nakeeri. Argh. I cannot believe how much that birth took out of me! Seriously, I’ve survived longer battles than my birth, and gotten more wounds than those few tears. Yet I was fine to walk the next day back then. This is ridiculous.” She joked, gesturing to her resting state.
Nakeeri could see the scars on the princess’s exposed arms, the strength of her fine muscles and believed it all to be true.
What could she say to that? “I wouldn’t know, princess.”
“Ha. Don’t call me that please. I have issues about being the illegitimate daughter of a king, and now to be a real princess thanks to Leo…argh. I don’t like it. Stick to Tattiena.”
Nakeeri liked this woman already. She was strong and straightforward. Beautiful as well.
“Alright.”
“And I shall call you Nakeeri. If that suits you?”
She nodded in acceptance of the situation. Not sure what the protocol was here, although honesty seemed to be respected.
“I appreciate your invitation to join you here in the castle, Tattiena. It is most… unusual to meet another dragon rider.”
Although she’d met three others, they were a rare breed indeed.
“Well, before Paneer, I’d never met any, so you are my second.”
“Well, I have only met three others. And between us I believe we now know every rider left on Limea.”
Tattiena grinned. “Perhaps. Although you didn’t know I existed.”
Nakeeri inclined her head. “True.”
The princess dragon rider had a point. There could be more.
“I’m so glad to meet you. Finally. Another female dragon rider. My mother believed I was the last left on Limea.” Tattiena beamed.
“Well, there’s only two of us, so she was almost right.”
“Was your mother a Dragon rider also?” the princess asked her.
Nakeeri blinked rapidly, her throat burning with envy. She had to assume from the way the question was phrased, Tattiena had been blessed with a mother that knew their trade.
“Ah, no, she wasn’t.”
She was a local baker, the townspeople had said. Who her father was, she had no idea.
“Oh really? I’d always assumed that dragon riders, bred dragon riders and that was the purpose of the heat.”A fair assumption to make considering the princess’s lack of knowledge in the area.
“Well, I don't know who my father was, so I suppose that could still be true... hang on. What’s this heat that everyone is talking about?”
The baby began to squeak and fuss. So Tattiena picked him up, opened her flowing top and put him to her breast.
“The heat is what drives us to reproduce. I think it’s designed to make sure our dragons do too, because as soon as I was pregnant, Nargoya went out and found Lordip.”
“I still don't understand.” Why was everyone talking to her about such a thing?
“Let me brutally frank then. Have you had hot, frustratingly sexy dreams about men and their seed?”
It was like the other dragon rider had seen into her mind. Heat flushed up her neck and onto her face.
“How did you know that?”
“Because I had them too. For months before Leo turned up. Then I saw him for the first time and practically raped him.”A snorted giggle came from the princess as she stroked her baby’s hair.
“Hang on. So you had this too, and then you met your husband...” She was piecing it all together and wasn't liking the conclusion she was coming up with.
Tattiena nodded slowly. “From what I know, and have experienced, and from what my father told me...our heat is personal, not random. You won’t feel it for just anyone. It is designed to force you into realising your true mate. For me it was Leo. I fought it for months. Almost destroyed us both, but hey... it all worked out in the end.” Tattiena dropped her gaze and absently stared at her baby while he fed.
Nakeeri’s mind was whirling. “I have no interest whatsoever in breeding. No offense.”
Tattiena laughed. “You think I did? I thought I couldn't ride Nargoya after I got pregnant and that would leave Gregorick vulnerable to attack. Not to mention the whole, tying myself to another kingdom for the rest of my life thing.”
“Your pregnancy destroyed your ability to ride your dragon?” Nakeeri was horrified. She couldn’t imagine a worse fate.
Tattiena shook her head. “Oh no. I know that’s not the case. I rode her through the pregnancy and can’t wait to get back on. It was just that my mother went all strange after she had me and never went back to her riding responsibilities. But that’s another story.” The babe fell asleep, still against his mother’s breast and the princess scooped him up and put him back down again.
Nakeeri didn’t know what else to say. If those dreams meant her mind was preparing her for her pregnancy, then she didn't know what she was going to do! How would she look after a babe in a cave? And that’s if she lived past the birth.
A deathly shudder ran through her and she gripped her hands together. “No. No. It can’t be. I can’t have a child. I won’t.”
Tattien patted her on the arm. “I don't think you’ll have a choice. You’ve met your designated mate, have you not?”
She shook her head forcefully. “No.”
Tattiena gave her a stern look. “Kalvis?”
“Who’s that?”
The princess rolled her eyes in a most undignified way. “The captain of the guard.”
Nakeeri dropped her gaze as flames licked up her neck and spread onto her face. “He is attractive but I...”
“Alright. Let’s just assume you will be able to beat yours when I didn’t.” Tattiena said, her voice light and bouncy as though she were talking about a meal, rather than a life-altering event.
“I’m sure I will,” she said, with conviction.
I’m not ready to die yet. And I will not leave a child to fend for itself in this horrible world without me.
“Well, wonderful. You will stay here with us for a little while won’t you?”
“I can stay a few days, but then I must return to the kingdom I protect.” For fear of severe punishment.
“I understand that, but a few days will simply not do.” Tattiena screwed up her face as she tried to think up a better solution.
“It’s fine, princess really. I don’t like being away from my home for very long anyway.” There was safety in the known.
She received a glare very similar to the one Tattiena had sent her husband not that long ago. “Stop calling me princess. It’s Tattiena, or dragon rider.”
The strength of her tones reminded Nakeeri of herself and she couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face.
“Alright, Tattiena. What would you like me to do first?”
“I would like to train with you, of course. But I think I need one more day before I can do that. What would you be interested in seeing? Paneer especially liked our training yard. Do you want to see any of the castle grounds? Leo always says that Gregorick is the cleanest, best run city he’s ever seen.”
She didn’t really have any interest in Gregorick, not wanting to ever live inside castle walls.
“The training yard would probably be best. I find it hard to find people who I can train with.”
The guards at Tumurk were terrible and didn’t train often at all. Not to mention the fact they despised her for no reason that she could find.
/> “Oh well, you won’t find a shortage here. Our guards train all day. I usually take on two at a time, but start with whatever you feel comfortable with.”
Wow. That was impressive. Although she’d have to see the calibre of the guards before concluding completely on that.
“That would be…great.”
Her belly fluttered in a strange way with all the kindness being offered to her. She’d never experienced such warm, inviting people.
“Good. Go find Paneer and tell him you want to train and I’ll see you later at dinner. You will dine with us before bed I hope?”
How could she say no to that kind request?
“If you wish it.”
“Oh, I do,” Tattiena said with a big smile.
As she turned to leave, Tattiena called out. “And just a word to the wise about your heat. It will only become satisfied if you feed it. If you continue to ignore it, the hunger grows to an uncontrollable size.”
Then she was in a hell of a lot of trouble, because she had no intention of bending over for any man.
“Thank you for the advice.”
Surely, I’m far stronger than this woman who has grown up with all the luxuries of a castle.
The door opened for her as she moved closer; and she didn’t jump. She was getting used to this weird technology.
She made her way along the hallway, looking forward and back as she walked. This would be a terrible place to be ambushed. She’d have no way of fighting her way out, and they could sneak up behind her far too easily.
Her unease released when she found the men still standing by the door that led out to the dragon paddock.
“How was she?” Leo asked, immediately straightening from his casual position, leaning against the wall.
“Tired, but good. Your child is very beautiful.” She managed to say to the prince, though she had barely seen the baby’s face for a moment.
“Thank you. Now, where can we take you?”
“Tattiena said that I could go into the training yard and perhaps train with some of the guards?”
The men exchanged a strange expression then nodded.
“Sure. Let’s go.”
Chapter 5.
Kalvis lunged forward, striking a solid blow to the side of a young soldier’s ribs.
The young man made a pained groaning noise and fell back. They only trained with heavy wooden swords with the young ones, but Kalvis knew they still hurt when yielded correctly.
He’d felt their sting more than once in his youth.
“You’re still leaving yourself far too open.”
Berre, the young soldier he trained, nodded. His face flushed with exertion, sweat running down his arms.
“Next.”
An awareness, not unlike the second sense he had in battle, crept up his spine. Kalvis twisted around, wooden sword held up in front of his body, ready to ward off whatever attack was forthcoming.
There stood the warrior woman on the other side of the training ropes. Her long blonde hair twisted into ropes on either side of her face. Her lithe figure was wrapped in old training gear.
“Are you looking for another challenger?” she asked, strangely calm.
“Yes.” Always.
Though I’d rather take you to my bed.
She stripped off the outer jacket she wore and lay it on the ropes. She had a long sword hanging from her belt and now that he could see her arms, she was ripped with strong muscle.
He held up his hand and gestured to her. “Then come.”
His heart had begun to pound like a wartime drum. He could sense her strength, her wildness. Part of him wanted to claim her, own her, make her submit to him. The other part revelled in her power. Wanted it on display, proud and free.
“I hope you won’t be using your toy,” she goaded as she pulled her long sword from its sheath and held it up in front of her.
She took a step back for balance and lifted her left hand.
Perfect poise.
Adrenaline began to charge down his spine and his arms bulged with convulsing muscles.
He took a few steps, grabbed a long sword from the training box and spun back around to stand before her.
“Should I ask for another man as well? Tattiena told me that she takes on two at once.” Her tone was teasing once again, but there was a fire in her eyes that he wanted only on him.
He grinned at her, her large breasts, wrapped cleverly with leather, drew his gaze.
“No. I’ll be more than enough for you, I’d say.”
She inclined her head a little and he saw her pupils dilate to the point where he could no longer see what colour her irises were.
His cock throbbed with rushing blood and that ache that he had not been able to quench, reared its aroused head.
“Go.”
He swung hard at her, aiming to miss her completely if she wasn’t able to handle her sword.
She ducked and weaved, threw a leg out and took his knees out from under him.
He landed in the mud with an almighty crunch and laughter circled around him as the men gathered to watch him get his arse kicked.
“Oh, so you can move, can you? Dragon rider.”
She laughed, the sound as delightful as he had feared.
“And you can’t, oh captain of the guard. Perhaps I should pick another man to fight me then?”
He growled as he jumped to his feet, the desire to tackle her to the ground a driving force.
He would have done it too, if she hadn’t picked up her sword and pointed the tip at his heart.
“Best of three?”
Fire tingled up his back and spread outwards. “Hell, yeah.”
He stalked over to the gate and grabbed his own sword, hanging from his belt on the ropes.
It slid into his hand perfectly, a gift from the king; it was made for him. He grinned as he faced back to the woman, Nakeeri.
He shouldn’t have underestimated this new dragon rider. Tattiena had handed him his bloodied arse on more than one occasion.
“Okay, go.”
This time he aimed for her heart, and she slid her sword into the side and deflected well.
They circled each other.
“You’ve been trained well,” he said.
Nakeeri laughed with bitterness. “Ha. No man trained me. This is all self taught. Captain.”
She lunged forward and he barely got out of the way, circling back around her.
Her breath was coming in fast pants now. Her face flushed.
Was it just the exercise, or was her heat upon her?
She suddenly grimaced and put a hand to her belly. Damn. There was more going on here than just the fight.
“Go,” he said again, though he wasn’t sure she’d make it through another round.
Their swords clashed again with an almighty metal clang, and this time they both kept swinging. She put her full weight behind every blow, and handled her sword well. Better than most of his men.
As they locked together in a struggled hold, he pulled her close, pressing his hardened cock against her belly.
“No…” she grunted, falling backwards and dropping her sword to the ground. “No!” She stood straighter and glared at him. “This will not beat me. It will not!”
She grabbed up her sword and ran for the fence.
“Kalvis, come here. Quick.” Leo called to him.
Kalvis watched Nakeeri hightail it over to the gate and bang on it with an angry cry.
He moved over to the prince who said to him. “Take her to the stable. Don’t leave her side. She needs to give in to her heat if she’s ever going to beat it.”
“What do you mean?”
Leo rolled his eyes. “Do I seriously have to spell it out? Take her to the stables, and watch what happens. Just make sure you tell the grooms to go away before you take all her clothes off.”
Oh fuck.
Kalvis glanced over to see her banging on the gates in a desperate need to get away from him. Should
he really take the prince’s advice?
Paneer worried his lip with his teeth, obviously torn with what he should do.
Kalvis made his decision. “I’ve got her. I’ll take her back, Paneer.”
Paneer nodded and Leo went over to the other dragon rider.
Damn. I’ve gotta do this.
He slid his sword back into its sheath and ran for the gates.
“I need to get back to my dragon!” Nakeeri cried at him, some of her fingertips bleeding from the way she scratched at the door.
“I know. I’ll help you. Wait a moment. The security here is doubled to keep the dragons safe.”
He punched in the code that opened the massive gates and they slowly opened.
“Argh… No…” She stumbled onto the lush grass and began running.
Should he go after her? He glanced back and Leo was waving at him to go.
He didn’t have a choice. His fate had been delivered to him on a silver platter. He needed to see where this road went.
He took off, running across the large dragon paddock, almost catching her before she got to the doors.
“I need to go. I need to leave. Now.”
They crashed through the doors and there were two grooms preparing food for the dragons.
Kalvis called to them immediately as he’d been told to do. “Prince Leo needs you both in the training yards. Go there now, please.”
The men looked confused, but put down their knives and left the barn.
“Come on! We need to leave!” Nakeeri was yelling, her voice pained and frustrated.
He made sure the barn doors were shut, then turned back around. Nakeeri was frantically pulling at her blue-tipped dragon, who was happily nestled in the warmth of the nursery.
“Leave her. She wants to stay.”
Nakeeri whirled back around to glare at him.
“Well. I can’t,” she panted, holding her belly fiercely tight.
“Why? You don’t have to leave. Tattiena would let you stay here forever if you wanted to.”
Which would not be good for my piece of mind, but still…
“No. I can’t. Don’t you understand. I have another kingdom. I can’t…”
She began to fall to her knees in slow motion, extending her hands out to catch herself. It was horrible to watch. This incredibly beautiful, strong woman crippled by her desire. A heat, according to the prince and princess, that she had no control over.
